May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

14 September 2018

The Celebration is on Sunday 16 September 2018

The idea of ritual:

Christ crucified, died, and his cross hence became a symbol reminds us of his love and generosity and his work of salvation, and the station of the Cross is a demand and addresses of his glory to accept him with faith and hope.

1st Reading/Isa 52: 13-14 + 53: 3-8, 12

Please sit and listen to the book of Isaiah Barick-Mar.

See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted. Even as many were amazed at him— so marred were his features, beyond that of mortals his appearance, beyond that of human beings. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, knowing pain, like one from whom you turn your face, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. Yet it was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured. We thought of him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted, but he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way; But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth; Like a lamb led to slaughter or a sheep silent before shearers, he did not open his mouth. Seized and condemned, he was taken away. Who would have thought any more of his destiny? For he was cut off from the land of the living, struck for the sins of his people. Therefore, I will give him his portion among the many, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because he surrendered himself to death, was counted among the transgressors, Bore the sins of many, and interceded for the transgressors. Amen.

2nd Reading /1Cor 1: 18- 25

A reading from the first Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians: “Barick-Mar”.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.” Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

The grace and peace be with you all brothers. Amen.

3rd Reading/ Lk 24: 13- 35

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to st Luke.

Now that very day two of them were going to village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So, he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” So, they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

P: Glory be to God forever. All: Glory be to Christ Our Lord.

prayers of the Faithful

Let us all stand with joy, and ask with confidence, saying,

“The cross has conquered; the cross will prevail.”

* By the cross Jesus overcame death and sin: and He gave us the opportunity to overcome evil and sin; let us praise the Lord.

* By the cross, the King of Jesus is in heaven and on earth, and we shall praise him with joy; let us praise the Lord

* By the Cross Jesus reconciled God with man: Let us recognize all the grace and virtues: Let us praise the Lord.

* We pray for the cross to light up the spark of adversity and cease wars throughout the world: Let us praise the Lord.

* We pray that the cross illuminates the leaders of the World to Govern in truth, justice, kindness and peace: Let us praise the Lord.

* We pray that the cross help the suffering and needy people, to overcome any psychological and economic crises patiently and steadfastly: Let us praise the Lord.

* We pray for the cross to be present in every place, family, heart, and every man shall live by Him: Let us praise the Lord.